A new and far-reaching study conducted by Weber Shandwick, one of the world’s leading global public relations firms, uncovers the increasing significance of “soft power” as a key contributor to the reputation of cities in Asia Pacific. “Engaging Cities: the Growing Relevance of Soft Power to City Reputations in Asia Pacific” focuses on how cities in the region leverage soft power – that is, those attributes of city brand reputation beyond politics, economics and military might – and reveals Tokyo’s leading reputation as a city of influence in Asia Pacific with its reputation as a creative hub driving its top ranking across 10 of 16 soft power attributes examined.

The study examines eight cities – Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo – across 16 soft power attributes that, when combined, contribute to a differentiated positioning of a city’s brand reputation and perceived influence. They include social media and digital technology; tourism; food, culinary and dining experiences; architecture and design; sustainability and the environment; and standard of living. In partnership with KRC Research, Weber Shandwick interviewed 4,147 people online and spoke with 20 experts in sectors as diverse as media, design, architecture, retail, sports and trade.

Among the soft power attributes studied, the Weber Shandwick report reveals Singapore’s top ranking for its innovative approach to sustainability and the environment and for offering a particularly high standard of living to residents. Hong Kong was rated first for being seen as the financial centre of the region, and Sydney was rated first across sports and leisure infrastructure, contemporary architecture and design, and gender tolerance, but was rated as the least influential city in terms of food, culinary and dining experiences.

“The dramatic urbanisation of Asian countries and the increasingly challenging environment in which civic leaders compete for creative talent, inward investment and tourism dollars has made brand reputation a priority for cities,” said Ian Rumsby, chief strategy officer, Asia Pacific, Weber Shandwick. “The ability to articulate, connect and promote unique, soft power attributes is now at the centre of success for governments and cities.”

Insights on Overall Perceptions that Distinguish City Reputations Today

The report reveals five primary observations that inform public, private and social sector leaders about the drivers of reputation in Asian cities.

Identity

The strength of national brands can overwhelm the ability of a city to cultivate awareness of its core attributes. This presents challenges and opportunities in equal measure as cities strive to elevate their reputation as a destination of choice. As cities compete to attract and retain top-tier talent, leveraging national attributes whilst balancing and creating their own city brand identity is an essential first step in fostering better understanding of a city’s total value and offering.

Neighborhoods

Neighborhoods are culture-clusters that showcase the unique, diverse attributes of a city to residents and non-residents. These are the areas where a city’s personality can be revealed, giving people the chance to witness and engage with the distinctive attributes of a certain location that suit their areas of interest. Cities that elevate the interest and relevance of neighborhoods to people’s lives advance their reputations.

Citizen Advocacy

Residents of the eight cities in Weber Shandwick’s report consistently rate their own city higher against each of the selected soft power attributes than non-residents. Overall, residents rated their own city 18 percentage points higher against all attributes, combined, than non-residents.

Understanding and tapping into the groundswell of citizen pride in cities is becoming increasingly relevant. As cities grow and people become wealthier, their ability to travel and engage with people in different markets becomes easier. Finding ways to stimulate residents’ endorsement as ambassadors of their hometowns in other markets has enormous branding potential.

The Creative Classes

Creative people are a potent force behind city innovation. They invent idea-led economies that bolster innovation in everything from music and technology to sustainability and design. Civic leaders need to think deeply and strategically about how to foster a diverse and inclusive environment that attracts creative talent needed to future-proof cities.

“Creative and innovative talent has always played a fundamental role in the cultural and economic development of a city. In today’s highly-connected, highly-competitive world, being able to attract that talent requires a strong brand reputation,” said Tim Sutton, chairman, Asia Pacific, Weber Shandwick. “Civic leaders can utilize the powerful ideas and insights uncovered in this new research to identify, refine and capitalise on their city’s strongest soft power attributes to build a reputation that competes for the best.”

People Power

Big investments in city infrastructure can be undermined by a failure to deliver an engaging experience. Whether it is an airport or sporting venue, the experience of a place is dependent on the people who define it. Cities that invest in a people-based service culture can enhance experiences and ensure that a reputation as ‘warm and welcoming’ is advanced.

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The “Engaging Cities” report includes an analysis of each city’s performance against 16 soft power attributes with commentary by respondents on the rationale for their ratings. The report also explores City Self-Esteem—an initiative designed to understand the perspective of residents of a particular city against those who visit or do not live there.

“There is a huge amount of mobility between the cities of Asia Pacific,” said Jennifer Sosin, chief research strategist at KRC Research. “The proportion of respondents who said they have visited at least one other city or actually lived in one of the other cities is high. This means that city brand and influence, more than ever, are created through the personal experiences of people who are not residents.”

Please view “Engaging Cities: The Growing Relevance of Soft Power to City Reputations in Asia Pacific” and infographics for the cities reviewed here.

In Seoul’s Garosu-gil, Colin Marshall talks with Korean music industry expert Bernie Cho, president of DFSB Kollective, a creative agency that provides digital media, marketing, and distribution services to Korean pop music artists. They discuss why the world now knows what K-pop is; how Korean youth culture, pop culture, and digital culture have become one in the same; Psy as outlier and representative of K-pop, “the bad boy who became the golden boy,” who put a dent in the industry’s pursuit of perfection; how “made in Korea” can work, internationally, as a label; whether the concept of “crazy Korea,” like “weird Japan,” has any traction; the big technological differences between the time of the 1990s J-pop boom and the modern K-pop boom; the musician’s perceived need to break out of Korea for success; how, growing up in the United States, he became aware of Korean popular culture; his disenchantment with the “boo-hoo session” of Asian American studies; the accidental meeting that got him into music television; what he discovered in Seoul’s Hongdae neighborhood; the Korean government’s investment in internet technology, and the digital and cultural revolution that followed; why Korean pop artists have, in the recent past, made so little money; the use of music not as a business, but as a business card; Korea’s other DMZ: the closed-garden “digital media zone” of Korea-only technology; how he first saw the seemingly wholly under-construction Seoul almost twenty years ago; how the vibe of the 2002 World Cup has carried over into the present; what Los Angeles and Seoul have to learn from each other; how his advantage in coming from America has gone away; how K-pop has become “sonic bibimbap,” uniquely Korean in its mixture of various ingredients; what Koreanness internationally-marketed Korean music retains; his “What am I even doing?” moment on a flight from Los Angeles to Seoul; why the origin of the word “piracy” reveals it as a good thing, and how it sparked the British Invasion; what he makes of the return of the 1960s and 70s “golden age” of Korean pop and R&B; and why he tells artists they shouldn’t do everything in English (and why he plays them Sigur Rós).

After lunch on day two and the HP live sessions that included a performance by Australia's Lyon Apprentice, Daniel Glass, the Founder and President of the influential Glassnote Entertainment Group was interviewed by Ralph Simon in the afternoon's first session.

Glass reflected on his origins as a young DJ, which got him interested in the international music that he's ended up working with through his life. Saddest day of my career was when Chrysalis Records was sold, "I didn't want to work for a major."

He was asked why being "indie" was so important to him, "I prefer to spend 80% of my day without human resource people. I want to spend it with music and creative people. We all wanted to be A&M and recreate Chrysalis Records," and this is what led to the formation of the Glassnote Entertainment Group, whose first office "was the mezzanine of Waldorf Astoria in New York where we were using their free wi-fi. We got thrown out because they thought we were running a prostitution ring. So we moved to Barneys."

He called Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, by influential French group, and early success story of the company, Phoenix, "one of the most perfect records ever produced" and the night they headlined Madison Square Garden "one of the greatest moments of my life!" He also commented on the "unsual" success the company had with Mumford & Sons, "they are one of the few bands who sell albums AND tickets... Canada is their biggest market in the world."

As for advice for other independent labels, Glass said, "NO is one of the most powerful words an independent label has. It can help keep bands and fans on your side. No to deals and no to bidding wars... when things get aggressive or sour. You don't want a marriage like that."

And there was one sentiment that Daniel Glass delivered which may have received the biggest applause of the entire conference: "Artists need to be paid fairly."

The anticipated interview with Apl.de.ap (pictured) from the Black Eyed Peas followed, conducted by TV & Radio Presenter (and MC for Music Matters) Dominic Lau.

The pair talked about the origins of the Black Eyed Peas, going all the way back to when the Philippines born hip-hop star moved to the USA in 1989 when he was adopted, meeting the man who would become Will.I.Am from the Black Eyed Peas soon thereafter. The formed a dance crew, which eventually became a hip-hop group and the rest is history...

Following his recent stint on The Voice Philippines as a coach, Apl.de.ap has set up his label Boombox, which invests in Asian artists and endeavors to provide a western production, not so much to take it to the US but to give it movement. He's proud of his heritage and it was a pleasure to have Apl.de.ap at Music Matters to share with us his love of music and of the region.

Next up was Christophe Muller, director of global music partnerships for YouTube, whose message was a simple one: "it's not all about views, it's about engagement." He was followed by Haji Taniguchi, President of Avex Music Publishing, and the Chairman of MPAJ, who provided insights into the Japanese region, which experienced reduced record sales in 2013.

He pointed, however, to the continued strength of the market. US consumers only spend 42% of Japanese consumers per capita, with the UK one of the closest markets, at 85%. He looked at how increased broadcast and performance revenue has helped offset physical sales decreasing in the last year. And looking to those wanted to infiltrate the market, "I strongly suggest analyzing the J-pop market before you try and tackle it. You should talk to a publisher first."

To get a taste of the Japanese music scene, Naoto Inti Raymi (pictured) gave us an acoustic performance of a song which translates to "I wish you could come back once more." He also talked about how he's looking beyond Japan for his future career, "my dream is to do a world tour one day!"

The final interview for today was with Marc Geiger, Worldwide Head of WME Music (William Morris Entertainment). His talk delivered some incredible insights into the digital and live music industries, both in Asia and around the world.

He signaled some of the problems facing Asia on the global touring stage, pointing to a lack of strategic planning and available analytics. He also looked at the problem faced when artists, managers and touring companies are trying to set prices that match what they may achieve in other markets: "People can't be so tight on deals in this region until there's scale and room to move. Wait until they've built the buildings before you focus on the money, otherwise nothing will happen."

Then there are the geo-political issues, "We got a direct terrorist threat before Lady Gaga's sold out show of Indonesia which led it to be cancelled." And in China, he commented that she hasn't been allowed to perform there, "it's not that they're worried about Gaga might say, it's more her influence on alternative culture. Will everyone dye their hair purple? If there's any suppression of their art then it's not a healthy culture."

His comment on digital was also an interesting one, if not controversial. The culture of the illegal download, he said, has led to more people listening to music than ever before, "the industry's bad handling of digital has made music go everywhere." And while record sales might be down, the industry is healthier than ever thanks to more artists, doing more tours and more business than ever before. He called the current state of recorded music a "train wreck", but said that as it remains a $200 billion business, "people need to move on it" to get that money flowing again.

At the end of a fascinating day of insight into the music industry, Music Matters wrapped up with a cocktail party kindly sponsored by KOCCA. Korean rock act Asian Chairshot played an acoustic set.

From hero to zero: ... and now back to being a hero, Jay Park has his own E! News Asia Special spot premiering today.Jay Park is back and better than ever with a new TV special that focuses on ... him.

UNLIKE most Korean celebrities who require translators to more or less “speak” for them, Jay Park can hold his own.

The US-born singer and rapper was in Kuala Lumpur recently, answering questions from the press in fluent English, and seemed unfazed by the plethora of weird and zany enquiries into his not-so-personal life.

The “Fresh Prince of Seoul”, as he is often called, now has his own Jay Park E! News Asia Special TV programme, premiering tonight. For the first time ever, fans will get a lowdown on just how much more there is to the controversial K-Pop star.

Filmed over a period of four days, the TV special includes talking heads ranging from Park’s B-boy pals to his family members, with exclusive footage provided by his buddy Hep of dance crew AOM.

Arriving in KL from Seoul just after the second leg of his concert tour around South Korea, Park was exhaustion exemplified, and harboured less zeal than one would expect from a 26-year-old superstar.

“I went to Hong Kong, I went to Thailand ... then I went to Europe, then I went to Thailand, then Europe, then China. I’ve just been on a plane so much. I’ve been doing so much work that I think I’m just starting to get burned out right about now,” he revealed during a one-on-one interview.

With a pierced nose and tattoos running up the length of his left arm, Park gave a hip-hop artiste swagger, accentuated further by his beanie-and-oversized-T-shirt look.

Judging from a media preview of the E! Special spot, it seems likely that the 30-minute show will touch on Park’s dark past, which has much to do with being ousted from top South Korean boy band 2PM.

The programme will likely touch on the K-Pop superstar’s dark past, which has much to do with being ousted from top South Korean boy band 2PM in 2009.

“In the show, you’ll get to see what I’m like on a day-to-day basis – times when I’m not on TV, when I’m in the waiting room, or in my house, or at the office. It’ll also get into what I think about certain situations, certain things that happened in the past. So yeah, you’ll probably find out a few new things about me,” he offered.

Initially the leader of the pack, the charismatic entertainer had a hard time pacifying anti-fans when unfavourable comments he wrote about Korea in 2005 were leaked by a netizen and later taken out of context and misinterpreted by the Korean media.

Famed for his B-boy dance moves, Park returned to the US in late 2009, just as the rest of the 2PM group members revelled in the launch of their first official album – while Park’s vocals could still be heard on some of the tracks, visuals of him were completely removed from the final image compilation.

Conquering all odds, the fallen star rose to fame once again when his bathroom rendition of B.o.B.’s Nothin’ On You, enhanced with his own rap and lyrics, went viral on YouTube and reached over two million views in under 24 hours.

By July 2010, Park was back and bigger than ever, debuting as a solo singer and actor. After winning multiple awards, and topping charts with his first full-length album, the multi-talented performer became a permanent cast member of Saturday Night Live! Korea earlier this year, adding the role of “comedian” to his already crowded portfolio.

Having previously been under record label JYP Entertainment for four years as a tightly-reigned trainee prior to the debut of 2PM, Park is currently enjoying the creative freedom of managing his own R&B independent label, AOMG, which stands for Above Ordinary Music Group.

“Right now I’m making my own music, my own decisions. I get to create my own career path. Back then, as a member of a group, it was the company who had everything planned. I think I’m much more of a free spirit now,” he shared.

Of course, aside from worrying about his own future, Park also has to oversee the musical journey of artistes Jun Goon, Gray, Cha Cha Malone and LO, who are all a part of AOMG.

Aside from working on everyone’s individual album, the company is opening up to take just a few more artistes on board.

No longer the boy who confessed to crying every day for two weeks (due to the culture shock he experienced when he first came to South Korea as a JYP trainee), Park seems to have taken things in his stride – he may have his hands full right now, but he’s not stopping anytime soon.

With the support of his family, who has since returned to South Korea to accompany his burgeoning stardom, Park expressed interest in producing more English titles and to have his songs be known “not just in the world of K-Pop, but internationally.”

“Things can get overwhelming but I take it day by day. I actually didn’t think I’d come back this big. I didn’t think anybody would be interested in me or what I did. I am very fortunate, I guess.”

As for attributing social media with the making and breaking of careers, Park has a smattering of advice for hopeful ingénues: “If you want to be an entertainer, just do it for the right reasons. Social media won’t exactly help you achieve your goals. You’ve got to put in the hard work first, then can you use social media as an outlet to market yourself.”